Growing Up in South Los Angeles

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Listen to a clip of stories from young people in South L.A..

• Generations Locked Down: a community-created archive collection that includes oral histories from youth collected by their peers on the impacts of incarceration on their lives.


• 20th Century Organizational Files: includes Black Youth Conference, Los Angeles Coalition for Youth and Justice, and Parent-Teacher-Student Alliance Against Racism, Non-Education, and Mis-Education in the Schools. See more info.


• L.A. Subject Files: under several headings, including Education, L.A. Unified School District, Gangs, Graffitti, and Youth and Youth Organizing; includes reports, clippings, flyers, and more.


• Chicano Student News: periodicals on the high school walkouts in East L.A. in 1968, created by students (1968)


• Graffitti Verite: a documentary featuring interviews with young graffitti artists in Los Angeles.


• Juvies: a documentary on the impacts of sending young people through the adult criminal court system.

• Always Running--La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A., Luis Rodriguez (1993).

See also materials from our archives on growing up in South L.A.